As for the comparisons to her famous ancestor? Emma recently said, “All I can compare is what I live of her through my father and family. She had a desire to help people and make the world more beautiful, and I undeniably feel the same….When it’s these kinds of comparisons, no I’m never bothered, but rather honored.”

When Emma was approached to do the cover shoot, she wasn’t entirely sold on the idea. “Glenda [Bailey, editor in chief] contacted my father with the idea and explained that Michael Avedon would be the photographer. So understanding that there was this parallel narrative, I was able to approach it as this very meaningful experience,” said Emma. Since Richard collaborated on a portrait series with Audrey, it was only fitting for their respective grandchildren to come together for this shoot.

Michael shot two versions of Emma’s subscriber September issue cover in Florence, where the budding beauty has lived for six years. In the first look, Emma wears Ralph Lauren in a side profile shot (seemingly identical to Audrey’s). For the other look, she stuns in a black gown from Alber Elbaz’s latest resort collection, which she described as a work of art. “Putting that dress on was intimidating,” she said. “I really felt like I needed to make myself worthy of it, so that was difficult.”

And of course, Michael had to photograph Emma in quintessential Audrey Hepburn style: black turtleneck, black pants, and black flats. From her brows down to her unmistakable elegance, the photo bears an uncanny resemblance to a similar picture of her grandmother, which is juxtaposed in black and white on the facing page. Having caught a glimpse of the spread, I know I’ll file this one on my bookshelf as a personal collector’s item.

By Brianna Lapolla, Staff Writer

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